Automatic car-brake.



K. BOTZ AUTOMATIC CAR BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1917.

Patented July 31, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- K. BOTZ.

AUTOMATIC CAR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1917.

1,235,103 Patented July 31,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z.

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5 vweutoz K. BOTZ.

AUTOMATIC CAR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1911.

1,235,103. PatentdJ uly 31,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

KONRAD BOTZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO H. E. MILLER AND ONE-FOURTH TO F. S. SMITH, BOTH OF HALIFAX COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

Application filed February 2, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KONRAD Borz, a subj ect of the Emperor of Germany, resident of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway car brakes, and particularly to types adapted to make direct contact with the running rails over which the wheels of the vehicles travel.

The principal object of the invention is to provide devices which are readily operable throughout the entire train by the manipulation of a single electrical element controlled by the ordinary brake means of the engine or a push button, as may be preferred.

A second object is to provide means which, by reason of their positive engagement withthe track rail, compel the vehicle to which they are attached to cease to advance.

A still further object is to provide such means so designed as to utilize the weight of the vehicle in setting the brakes, the operation being further enhanced by the peculiar wedge efiect attained by the inclined sur face of the brakeshoe.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel design, construction, and conbination of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational and sectional view indicating the application of the invention to the truck frame of a car.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View indicating the application of the electrical current, the parts being shown in a normal position.

Fig. 3 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the parts in an operative or applied position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational V 16W partially in section showmg the mechanlsm employed.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectlonal view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Serial No. 146,066.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmental side view Sl1(()1W1I1g the parts in operative position, an

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 4.

In Fig. 1 is shown one of the under members 10 of a car truck frame to which are attached boxes 11 with which is engaged a bolster 12 extending from side to side of the car and to which are attached at its ends through the rods 14, the support frames 15 and 16 of the braking mechanism.

Engaged with the upper element 15 is a flanged cylindrical casing 18 supporting a drum 19 containing magnetic elements 20, and having a binding post 21 engaging with the electrical transmission wire 22 so as to form a circuit in the magnet elements which constitute a type of solenoid.

Slidably contained in the solenoid isa plunger head 23 to which is attached a bar 24 extending downward through the drum and having adjustably secured on it a nut 25 above which is a sleeve 26 upon which rests the lower end of a coiled push spring 27 the upper end of the spring exerting pres sure against the lower head 28 of the drum.

Secured to the bar 24 is a fluted cylinder 30, the teeth of which are helically formed and engaged with theteeth, so as to be rotated thereby, is a sleeve 32 having formed upon its exterior three distinct series of ratchet teeth, the upper and lower, respectively 33 and 34, being operable in one direction while the center and wider element 35 has teeth formed in the other direction, the sleeve being contained within a cylindrical recess formed between the adjacent faces of the frame elements 15 and 16, and which are held in a clamped position by reason of the nuts 36, the bar 24 continuing downward through the lower frame element 16; and a thimble 38, attached thereto, is engaged with a sliding frame 40 by means of a pin 41, the rod also having a collar 42 settled in the recess formed in the jaws of the frame 40 so as to cause the frame to be raised and lowered in conjunction of the movement of the head 23.

The rods 14 are formed with shoulders 44 and have depending )ortions 45 extending into rounded ends of the frame +t0 so as to guide the same and compel the frame to move in a rectilinear line.

Passing transversely through the frame is a bar 4.7, the extending ends &8 of which are flattened and bored to receive rods 50 provided with rigidly formed heads 51 at their upper end and with eyes pivotally engageable with a rod at their lower end, the rod passing through the brakeshoe 53 which is guided by means of lugs 5% formed with the frame a0, and which is held tightly against the frame by reason of the coiled pressure springs 55 located between the ends 48 of the rod l? and the heads 51, the springs being of a heavy type for purposes which will be further on more clearly apparent.

In order to hold the brakeshoe in rigid contact with the rails 60, when it is desired to operate the brake, a sleeve 62 is attached to the frame elements 15 and 16, the sleeve containing an electric coil 63 adapted to draw toward the center a pair of plungers 64 and 65, respectively outer and inner, and which are maintained normally separated by means of a push spring 66 interposed there between.

Attached to the outer plunger 6d are a pair of detents 68, their opposite ends engaging with the ratchets 33 and 3%, said detent rods passing through the head 65 to which is secured a third or inner detent 69 engageable with the center ratchet wheel 35, the same constituting a form of solenoid actuated through the binding post 70 to which is led a wire 71, the solenoid being with a similar solenoid 2O put into operation by the contacts 73 and 7 f arranged on the shaft 75 which may be rotated in any convenient manner, the electrical current being taken from any convenient source.

In operation, the solenoid 20 normally maintains the weighted head or plunger 23 in its highest position, and by reason of the connections to the plunger the brakeshoe 53 is held at a distance from the face of the rail so as to present no impediment, the upper and lower detents being in position to maintain the sleeve 32 from rotation.

lVhen it is desired to apply the brakes, the shaft 75 is partially rotated, causing the current to pass through the wire 22 into the solenoid 2'0 and also into the wire 71 energizing the solenoid 63, drawing the cen ter detent 69 against its seat formed in the coil, disengaging it from the center ratchet 35 so that as the head 23 descends by gravity, when the circuit is broken to the solenoid 20, the sleeve 32 is caused to partially rotate and is held by the detents 68, the downward movement of the head being transmitted directly to the frame 40 which is moved down until the brakeshoe 53 engages with the rail, the beveled face of the lower portion of the frame 40 cooperating with the similarly inclined upper face of the shoe 53 which forms in effect a wedge tightly impinging upon the surface of the rail and bringing the car to a stop.

is indicated in Fig. 8, the brakeshoe 53, pivoted by the bar t? may move with respect to the frame lO sliding between the guides until stopping of the car has been effected, whereupon, when the brake is released, the springs 55 will return it to its initial position.

Thus a wedging action is obtained direct between the rail and car frame, creating a powerful thrust that acts effectually in bringing the car to a stop.

Havin thus described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. in a car brake, the combination with a solenoid, a plunger operable thereby, and a frame supporting said solenoid and said plunger, of a plunger engaged with said solenoid, means for guiding said plunger rectilinear-1y, a brakeshoe engaged with said plunger, means permitting said brakeshoe to move longitudinally of said frame, and means for returning said brakeshoe to its initial position.

2. In a car brake, the combination with a frame adapted to be supported by the car truck, of a solenoid carried by said frame, a plunger movable therein, a head attached to said plunger, a concave brakeshoe support formed with said head,means for guiding said head, a bralteshoe tensionally engaged with said support, means for normally holding said brakeshoe out of engagement with a rail, and means for maintaining said bralreshoe in engagement.

3. In a car brake, the combination with a solenoid, a plunger operable thereby, and a frame supporting said solenoid and said plunger, of a plunger engaged with said solenoid, means for guiding said plunger rectilinear-1y, teeth formed spirally on the periphery of said plunger, ratchet wheels on said plunger adapted to be rotated by the longitudinal movement thereof, the teeth of said ratchet wheels being formed in opposite directions, detents engageable with the teeth of said ratchet wheels, means for engaging or disengaging said detents, and a rail contacting brake carried by said plunger.

at. In a car brake, the combination of a rigid frame, a plunger mounted to move reciprocatively therein, means for actuating said plunger, a head rigidly attached to said plunger, means for guiding said head rectilinearly, a seat having inclined surfaces converging upward toward the center, a brakeshoe suited to engage with said seats resiliently, means for maintaining said brakeshoe in engagement, and means 'perniitting said brakeshoe to move longitudiparallel to said rod, links engaging between nally in said seat. said rod and bar, springs combined with 10 5. In a car brake, a shoe adapted to make said links and said bar whereby said shoe is contact with the track rail, said shoe having tensionally held against said head, and

a top slanting downward from the center tomeans for actuating said head.

ward its ends, a head receptive of said shoe, In testimony whereof I have aflixed my a transverse rod pivotally engaged in said signature this 27 day of January, 1917. shoe, a bar rotatably engaged in said head KONRAD BOTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. G. 

